1937-04-19 — Page 11

THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 19, 1987

Basic Features Of Reconstruction In South-West China

THE

THE new spirit among the Chin- industries rather than light indus- the restoration of Russia's economy There will be greater demand for for- ese people against political tries at the present time or even up to the level of 1913 production. capital commodities ..... whereas regionalism is laying the founda- vice versa.

This period did not end until the merly there was a greater demand tion for the factual unity of the To the first question I can take year 1929 when the first Five Year for consumer goods.More ma- entire country under the leadership the experience of Kwangtung Pro- Plan was embarked upon.

chinery, more electrical, and more of the National Government. This vince to supply me with an answer In Kwangtung to-day the Govern- transport equipment will be needed. spirit which prevails alike in the that approximates to truth (subject ment owns several plants. The people of Kwangtung as well as în to further detailed investigation). most profitable is the cement works.

the people of the Yangtze Valley It can be stated as follows:-For There are also the fertiliser plant Cantonese and the Northern provinces is firm- centuries Kwangtung has been able (chemical industry and therefore

ly welding the people into a close to supply its population with food- akin to a heavy industrial type), a Enterprise ly knit political mass. This was stuffs, principally rice. The farm- cotton mill, beer factory, paper clearly shown at the time of the ers of Kwangtung have for cen- mill, and a number of sugar mills. It is not to be thought that Gov- Suiyuan invasion.

turies ascertained what are the best In the near future Kwangtung wi ernment controlled or run industry I was in Kweihwa on the day agricultural crops that will grow have its first Steel Plant. This last will dominate. The cadres and the that Peilingmiao was captured and in this province. The crop struc- is genuine heavy industry.

initiative of the Government au- witnessed the joy with which the ture, therefore, of the province has What will happen? The laws of thorities will not be sufficient to cope Suiyuan crowds welcomed the de- legates from Shanghai. General Wu Te-chen, then Mayor of Shanghai, was the initiator of the idea of send- ing the leading citizens of Shanghai as the bearers of messages and funds for the encouragement of the Suiyuan defenders. General Wu is one of the ablest administrators of Modern China and in discharging

By Percy Chen

(Son Of Mr. Eugene Chen, Former Foreign Minister Of China)

over

with the urge towards industrialisa- tion. And then the character of the Cantonese is to be reckoned with. They are adventurous and enter- prising. And they can compete with the Government if givens fair chance. This is shewn in the com- petition of the native sugar-manu- facturers who successfully compete with the Government sugar plants. the new task given him by the Na- been tested out and proved

And lastly by the question of the im- economics are just and unbending wherewithal to pay for this tional Government and the Party hundreds of years. The only 'trouble laws. has already declared his policy of

You plant sugar cane in the portation of industrial capital com- has been that harvests (while they wrong place and you have a famine. modities. & Three Year Plan for the welfare

A new source of wealth run to three and four per annum You will have to plant cane in an- has to be found. It is not far. But of the people of Kwangtung.

of different crops) have not been other place and restore the rice to it will have to be won from the soil Political regionalism being on the

sufficient to satisfy the growing de- its proper place otherwise wane as part of the political set-up mand of the population. That means will be a famine every year. And which to pay for imported goods there and converted into capital with of national life, I feel that economic regionalism also will give place to that the farming methods of the this whether you are the Govern over and above those usual lines peasantry are not good enough to ment or just plain Mr Jim Jones, which have held sway for the last satisfy modern requirements. In

And what does it hold for the half century. In the South-West Kwangtung then we find the task merchants of Hong Kong? It means we are going to witness the develop- of the Government to lay in put first the need for a re-orientation ment of mining on a large scale. ing into the hands of the peasants in commerce with the Mother coun- And it is upon the basis of this the means of increasing their har- try. It means a re-modelling of branch of Heavy Industry that the vests. That means improved imple the system of financial co-operation Industrial Revolution of Kwangtung ments, fertiliser and irrigation.

with the hinterland of Kwangtung, and the South-West will be carried Kwangsi, Kweichow and Yunnan, to a successful conclusion.

the emergence of a national economy and a national market." And here

we have the concept of the future

economic development of the South- Weat of China, namely Kwangtung, Kwangsi, Kweichow, and Yunnan

To talk of planning National Economy to-day in China is to talk

Instead of that, what happened? pure idealism. The planning of Na-

Someone got the idea that Kwang-, tional Economy is only possible to-

tung was good for the growing of day in the USSR. But we have

sugar cane. Some of her best rice- seen partial planning of national economies during the period of the growing lands were given over to Great War in the countries involv- not needed for one of the staple a crop that can be grown on lands ed. However even now it is possible products of the people. Result: a to influence Chinese economy along rice famine that will cost Kwang- certain lines which are essential.

tung and her people millions more These are that economy should de-

than they derived from the grow- velop to the national as well as to the provincial advantage; secondly ing and sale of sugar. This clear

ly is false economy. that economy should develop ac- In planning for agriculture cording to precepts dictated by the Kwangtung, there is no need to 'present period of grave tension

worry about changing crops or find- throughout the world.

ing new crops. The peasants know

**

in

a thousand times better what will

In the South-West, the basic fea- tures of economic reconstruction are grow on their soil than a hundred four in number. They are, first, a

experts. They have not been far- measure of security for this area; mers for forty centuries for no- second, convenient transport facili thing. ties; third, the growth of industria- lisation; and fourthly, the charac-

ter of the people of the South-West, Industrial particularly the Cantonese..

In these times the question of, se- curity is of prime importance. And

Progress

We must at the same time de-. in this respect Kwangtung, Kwang- velop industry, both light and heavy.. si, Kweichow and Yunnan being far And it is clear that light industry removed from the prospective storm will develop quicker than heavy on centres will look forward to com- account of finance and the psycho- parative quiet. Reconstruction will logy of leaders of finance and bank- therefore proceed along more nor ing. But, in accordance with the mal lines than in the rest of the teachings of Dr. Sun Yat Sen in country.

Confusion Of Thought

There is confusion of even among the leaders try on the question

economic developmen. Op Op

hi Third Principle concerning the ivelihood of the People, the Gov- ernment must assist the develop- ment of Heavy Industry in every way possible.

Here again Kwangtung supplies thought an example, In Kwangtung, China the coun- has begun the Industrial Revolu the future tion inasmuch as we have the spect of China. • acle of the State-entering the field Sometimes I am asked whether of Industry, both light and heavy, China should not develop as an agri- side by side with private capital. cultural country and efforts at in This phenomenon was noticed in dustrialisation be slowed down; the U.S.S.R., during the period of whether China should not concen- the New Economic Policy introduc- trate upon the development of heavy ed by Lenin during the period of

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